


Clowders and Claws

by Renookie



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26721535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renookie/pseuds/Renookie
Summary: (UNEDITED BACKUP COPY)After getting lost in a snowstorm, Brittny finds herself in the middle of the woods. However, she's not alone. A clowder of wild cats offer to shelter her from the dangers of winter.But, there's cruelty hidden in plain sight. When one of Brittny's newfound friends is in danger, how can she save her?





	1. starving

**Author's Note:**

> Character list at end. Wasn't sure where to stick it.
> 
> I figured it would be a good idea to place this story somewhere other than WattPad in case I lose it or delete my account or WattPad does something stupid... as it does. Because not many users know that this place hosts original works--so not many people will see it--I feel safest posting it here.

There was no water dish to drink from, nor was there a food bowl to eat from. It had all been emptied months ago. The house was eerily quiet, and it was almost as cold as the raging snow since the day the fire died.

Brittny shuddered, trying to lick her seal-pointed fur clean as the wind howled from outside. She was once a rotund cat, but in the months since her humans vanished, she had become average weight. If someone were to see her, they wouldn't notice anything wrong.

But her shaking wasn't just because of the cold. Her stomach stung with the pain of hunger, and she sighed as the wind began to die down.

The cat door slid upwards, screeching as it went, and Brittny turned to the noise. Her spirits fell even further as she realized that her companion's jaws were empty.

"Luke?" She said, asking a million questions with a single word.

Luke was large for his age—a black-furred, orange-eyed Maine Coon mix with a strong jaw and large claws—but the effects of the long winter were even more obvious on his frame. He was skin and bones, ribs sticking out from under his long, fluffy fur.

He flattened his ears. "There was nothing out there. I was going to go farther, but I got too cold. I guess I'll have to do it next time."

Brittny wasn't sure how far "farther" was. The Ragdoll had never been outside, so she trusted him not to get lost. She blinked her blue eyes, meeting the tom's saddened orange as her emotions stewed; first was bitter disappointment, coating her tongue in bile, then there was the love for her adoptive brother beating strongly in her chest. The tom had tried, and she couldn't fault him for the weather. It would be irrational.

"I'm sorry," Luke muttered. "I really tried."

Brittny flicked her ear dismissively. "It's alright. You'll find something eventually."

Suddenly, he seemed very interested in the floor. Brittny looked away awkwardly.

They both knew they would starve here. It was only a matter of time.

—

"I'll see you at sunrise," Luke said, his tail shaking as he tried to hold it up. It was the cat equivalent of a fake smile, and Brittny felt a wave of sadness wash over her.

"See you, Luke," She said.

—

Luke never came back. The sun rose and set, and he never returned.

Brittny put a paw through the cat door, flinching as the cold flooded her senses. The cold made her paws numb, and she stumbled senselessly through the cat door. Brittny cringed and jumped off the porch, falling into the thick snow.

As she trudged on, it stuck to her in clumps. The blinding whiteness around her disguised the world and she could no longer tell day from night. Each step felt like an era as her paws grew heavier with snow. It covered her until she was convinced she was more snow than cat.

She called out for her brother, the frigid air freezing her lungs.

—

There was no path behind her and no path ahead. She would die alone in the snow with no one to care for her. Her only friend was gone, and she was starving. There was no food, no water, just endless white.

She cried out to the sky, wherever it may have been through the blizzard. It was a wordless scream, the type of howl one hears when they find a stray locked in a shed. But it was pathetic and quiet, and it would never save her.

—

Brittny trudged on, though her faith was in tatters. How many days had it been? How many hours? It was nothing but swirling white and crunching, sinking snow that covered everything with its coldness.

"Luke," She whispered to herself. "Where are you?"

He had saved her when the human kittens trapped her under baskets and choked her with their giant hands. He fought back against them, and they would cut his claws and throw him to the ground. The two would comfort each other at night when they woke to the sound of the humans' footsteps.

She looked back at the pawprints she left in the snow as the wind carried them away. At that moment, she realized that her brother couldn't have made it. He was frail, skinny, and starving. The snow would have buried him the way it buried her paw prints.

But where was she? She would just have to keep walking. There was nowhere else to go, but she would live on. Luke wouldn't want her to die now.

—

Brittny traveled on through the snow, a new resolve in her heart. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she started, but she knew she'd have to stop soon. Her paws were aching and her teeth chattered.

Then, there was something in the distance. It looked like a house, so Brittny became convinced that it was, in spite of the lack of light within it. She leaped through the snow and bounded as fast as she could down the hill, nearly slipping towards the end. Her tail quivered with joy as she realized that it was, indeed, a home.

However, there was something off. It was disheveled and cracked. Bricks littered the ground in front of it and its windows were shattered. Despite that, it was the only thing Brittny had. She wandered to the door to see it already half-open and crawled in.

She froze. Two forms white as snow stared back at her with ice chips for eyes. One was fluffy, while the other was short-furred and gaunt. The fluffy one lashed their tail threateningly.

A third snow cat emerged from behind them with an incredulous ear flick and mismatched eyes. The third cat's jowls were large, but Brittny couldn't distinguish the three's scents from one another to tell if they were a tomcat or a mollie.

"Who is this?" They asked the others.

"I'm Brittny. I'm sorry for intruding, but there was a snowstorm and I got lost."

One of the blue-eyed snow cats, the fluffier one, looked at her analytically. As a few moments passed, Brittny realized that one of their eyes was slightly green. Then, they purred. "You're beautiful."

Brittny's fur ruffled in confusion. "Uh, what?"

"It's okay," the fluffy cat said in a dominating voice. "Do you have a den somewhere?"

"Uh... what's a—er, no. I don't. I have nowhere to go."

The three snow cats exchanged glances. The gaunt one came closer and Brittny was finally able to distinguish their scents. Surprisingly, the thin-faced cat was the only tomcat.

"That's alright. You can stay with us," The thin-faced tomcat said.

"You're... sure?" Brittny asked.

He trilled, a mix between a meow and a purr, reassuringly. "Yeah. Do you think we don't have space? This place is massive."

"No, it's just..." She had no idea what word she was going to say, but it wasn't the one she chose next. Maybe there wasn't a word for it. "Surprising."

"Surprising?" He said, then blinked confusedly. He padded toward her. "Uhh... I'm Snobal... if that helps."

The tomcat obviously had no idea how to interact.

"Uh... okay," Brittny said.

Then, another cat spoke. "Snobal, we—oh. Who's this?"

His scent washed over her—another tomcat. The new cat's voice was high-pitched and crackly as if he were nervous or going through puberty, but one look at him showed otherwise. He was a well-muscled, stony-faced tomcat with broad jowls and small paws. His fur was gray with a small white spot on his chest, and his eyes were a shining golden like the scales of a fish.

Snobal trilled at the stranger—the cat equivalent of a smile—and he trilled back.

"You first," Snobal said.

The tomcat nodded. "Stal and I finished hunting. We put the prey on the mat. I'm assuming you and the other Heads want first pick."

"You're correct," Snobal said. Then, he turned to Brittny. "This is Skieb."

Skieb looked to Brittny with curiosity shining in his eyes. Brittny lowered her lashing tail in an attempt to appear relaxed.

Snobal turned back to Brittny. "You said your name was Brittny, right? Skieb, can you show her around? She'll be staying here for a while."

"Okay," Skieb said, nodding. He stood up and flicked his tail. "Let's go."

Brittny followed, but they didn't go far; just to the center of the small floor. The wood itched beneath Brittny's paws as if it were freshly sandpapered.

"So... Brittny," Skieb said the name like it was a foreign word. Though, with the strange names and accents of these cats, it probably was. He pointed to a wooden shelf near the ceiling with his tail. "That's Head's Lookout. The three leaders of our group sleep there. They're the only ones allowed up."

Snobal leaped onto the shelf and curled up. He glanced down at her from feet away, his pupils flashing red from the light.

"Is Snobal a—"

"Yes," Skieb replied. "So are Tabith and Keth."

"Who and who?" Brittny asked.

"The other two white cats. Tabith is his mother," Skieb said.

"What are you?" Brittny asked.

"I'm a Hunter. You can guess the rest." The tomcat said frankly. From the few moments Brittny had spent with him so far, he didn't seem like much of a talker. He continued, "Aside from Head's Lookout, if it doesn't have a consistent scent on it, it's open for the taking. Most of us sleep on the same spot every night, so it's easy to tell."

Brittny flicked her ear. "Is that all?"

Skieb's tail lashed with irritation. "Yes, that's all. You'll pick the rest up eventually."

Brittny blinked slowly, trying to think of a way to break the ice. The tomcat was determined to be unfriendly with her no matter how much she showed interest.

Then, a figure behind him caught her eye. It was a black-furred mollie with yellow-green eyes, hunched over like she expected to be hissed at in any moment. The mollie took one of the old rags off the top of a table and tried to drag it away awkwardly. She didn't get far, as the rag got stuck on a splinter.

"Who's that?" Brittny asked.

Skieb's eyes darted to the strange mollie. "Who's who?"

"That black mollie, right there," Brittny said. "Who is she?"

"That's a Hider," Skieb said.

"But who is she?" Brittny insisted.

"Hiders don't like to be talked to, so we don't talk to them. I wouldn't know her name if I asked," He said, his tail sweeping with annoyance.

"Is she supposed to take those rags?" Brittny asked.

"I told you—she's a Hider, and she's doing a Hider's job," Skieb growled. "Now, let's go."

There was something odd about the tomcat's words, but Brittny pretended not to notice. Silently, she planned to confront this 'Hider' soon and see what was really going on.

—

That night, Brittny slept on one of the table rags. It smelled like mildew and queen, but the latter scent was faded. The ex-housecat still had trouble sensing how long ago a scent was placed, but it seemed recent. However, it wasn't a territory-scent, so the pregnant mollie that had slept there (or, more likely, accidentally left her scent) didn't plan on doing so often.

The sun was starting to set when she woke up. Moments later, the table vibrated with soft, hesitant steps. She opened an eye. It was that 'Hider' again, with her poorly-groomed black fur and saddened green eyes.

"You," Brittny said, trying to get her attention.

The Hider jumped. "Y-yes...?"

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Looloo," The Hider's eyes dilated with suspicion. "Why are you asking? If you're dissatisfied with my work, just let me know and I'm sure I can—"

"No, no. It's fine," Brittny said. "But what work? What do you do?"

The mollie bent one of her ears in a mixture of confusion and incredulity. "I clean the Two-Floor. I'm a Hider."

'Two-Floor?' Did this home have a second floor that Brittny was never told about? What was up there? Why wouldn't they tell her?

And... there it was again. That word; Hider. They did cleaning, like the humans used to in Brittny's home before they disappeared. That made sense, at least. Without the humans to clean, these cats must've assigned others to do it. But, why was she so jumpy about everything? Why the name Hider?

"I-if that's everything, then I need to leave, Highmollie." The Hider said.

The black mollie flattened her ears and grabbed one of the rags from the table. Then, she jumped off the table and sprinted, her claws clicking against the wooden floor.

"Brittny!" A warm voice called and she turned to the noise. The familiar pitch didn't betray her ears as she came eye to eye with Snobal. The tomcat's tail shook erratically with excitement, almost to the point that he looked like a puppy. That was punctuated by the goofy way he held his mouth open after speaking, showing a slight—but likely detrimental—overbite. Skieb stood next to him awkwardly, golden eyes blinking slowly.

"It took so long to find you! There's a meeting today, and I almost forgot that you wouldn't know!" Snobal continued.

"A meeting?" Brittny asked, standing.

"Yeah. It's between all of the clowders. We have one every season. Since it's winter now, we're having our winter one. That storm you trekked through last night marked it. I think that was the biggest Primestorm we've had yet!" Snobal's explanation was much more friendly than Skieb's were the day before, delivered with the tone of an enthusiastic kitten lecturing another on how to pounce. The tomcat couldn't have been too experienced as a leader, that was for sure.

"Other clowders?" Brittny asked.

"You'll see them when we get there, but their names are the Tree's Leaves and the Crow Hunters. They're nothing like us. It's crazy to think we share territory with them sometimes!"

Skieb nudged Snobal lightly, and the snow-colored tomcat flinched. For a second, Brittny swore that she could see fear in his eyes—the same type she had seen in Looloo's—but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Oh, right. We're super late. We need to get going." Snobal said, his voice wavering slightly.

—

The meeting took place on a small, quaint lake. It was frozen on the edges like windows in the cold, but its center was a mess of slush and floating ice. A small tree sat just on the edge of the lake, leafless but broad. The cats gathered underneath the shadows of its branches.

Snobal hurriedly joined Tabith and Keth at the foot of the tree, Brittny straining to see them against the white snow. It was easier than it would've been in the day due to the red light that washed over everything, but even then, the fur of the strangers beside them stood out more.

The first stranger reminded Brittny of Looloo. Based on the scent, Brittny assumed that she was a mollie. Her fur was a short and shiny black, though her throat and muzzle were white. Her eyes were bright, beech-leaf green and glittered like a swarm of fireflies.

The second stranger was barely out of kittenhood. He was absolutely tiny, probably the runt of his litter, and had silky, pale brown fur with rosetted spots. His eyes were a fiery orange that blazed with immeasurable passion.

"With all of the attendants here, we can begin," The black-and-white mollie said. "Winter has pounced upon us like a kitten to a leaf. The primary storm of this season is the strongest I've seen in many. In spite of this, the Tree's Leaves don't need much. We're ready to listen to demands."

Tabith flicked her tail. "Then, we have one. We want the Low River."

"The Low River is not up for claim." The mollie said.

Keth leaned forward. "It's frozen, Tenu. It's useless to you right now."

"The Low River yields many lizards and frogs during the warmer seasons. I can't give it to you without a guarantee of return." The mollie—Tenu—said cautiously.

Finally, the tiny tomcat decided to jump in. His voice was surprisingly low, but it was also extremely nasal. "It's win'er. The Low River'll be frozen over. Ya wouldn' wan' it."

His accent was the oddest of all. While the cats she was staying with spoke with an elegant, swooping accent with soft 'r's and well-pronounced 't's, (almost like a rich Brit's crossed with a classy southerner's) the brown tomcat's was the opposite—hard, tapped 'r's, and 't's turning to 'd's or being dropped entirely. Tenu spoke with a mixture of the two, with soft 'r's, and lazy 't's that sounded like 'd's.

Snobal opened—well, opened wider; he'd never closed it—his mouth to speak. His mother silenced him with a stern, ocean-blue glare.

"Then, surely, there's no harm in letting us have it for the winter." Tabith said. "After all, there's no prey near it now that the frogs and lizards are hibernating."

"I know you'd never return it, and we'll need it when Kitten Season comes." Tenu said. "It's in your best interest to stop pressing."

Tabith growled and exchanged an infuriated glare with Keth. However, neither said anything.

"Can we move on now? I wan' to talk about the squarestones." The brown tabby said.

At this point, Brittny got her fill of pointless debates. She gazed around the lakeside, keeping watch for unfamiliar cats. Few stood out, but most of the ones she didn't recognize seemed to stick together. The cliques were probably from the same clowder.

What was this meeting for, anyways? Was it all just a bunch of pointless debates regurgitated each season like cud? Well, the leaders could chew cud all they wanted. They didn't need to make everyone else watch it.

Brittny blinked slowly as a pale orange tabby approached her. The tabby was a mollie, and a pretty one at that, with classic marbled swirls along her sides and bright yellow eyes as radiant as the sun. They reflected so much light it was hard to look at them.

"Are you new?" She asked excitedly.

Brittny shuffled nervously. "Uh, yeah."

Her eyes lit up even brighter, if that was possible. "Oh! That's amazing! We haven't had an outsider here in ages. What were you before you came?"

"I was a housecat," Brittny said. "My humans left."

She hesitated. "Well, at least you found this place. My name is Keeden of the Tree's Leaves... What's yours?"

"I'm Brittny of the... uh," She paused.

Keeden trilled in amusement. "The Mouse Catchers, maybe? You look like their type."

Their type? Brittny gazed around the clearing. It was difficult to recognize anyone yet (she only knew a few scents due to being at their camp for a day) but most of those she recognized seemed to be diverse. There was Sky with his gray fur sitting by a large cattail, Looloo with her black-and-white fur hiding in the shade of a bush, and the three snow-white leaders were still arguing below the tree. Though, perhaps they were a bit monochrome.

"Er, yeah." She tried the new name on her tongue, "Brittny of the Mouse Catchers."

"They're strange. I can't understand them, but I'm sure they've got something going on." Keeden said, the cautious edge in her voice betraying that she was being intentionally vague.

If only she knew...

"I've only been there for a couple days. They seemed friendly enough." Brittny said, hoping the mollie would get the hint from the way she flicked her tail upwards.

Keeden blinked slowly, a sign of empathy and understanding.

"Well, I'm sure they'll treat you well." She said. Then, she changed the subject without segue, "Star is going to compete in the Climbing Race today. He's so tiny. I can't wait to watch him."

Brittny snorted. She had to be talking about the little brown tabby up front. She motioned towards the tomcat. "Him? He's smaller than a bunny!"

"Yeah, but he's a great fighter. He brings rabbits back to the Jagged Oak all the time. If I had to fight him or a howldog, I'd pick the howldog!" Keeden said. "Even some of our best Full-Rankers are jealous of him."

She was so... friendly. Keeden just casually spoke of the Crow Hunters' leader as if she'd known him her whole life—as if he weren't debating with her leader right now about the Low River and the squarestones. Hell, she was complementing him. It was like a dog befriending a porcupine; the idea seemed cute and fun, but what happened if the dog got too close to the needles?

But, maybe that was the point. It was genius! If everyone cared for one another, loved each other, then there could never be war. Well, not never, but battles would be rare. The meetings were peaceful ways to settle disputes and an excuse for chatting as the listeners got bored.

Was the process intentional? Did the clowders create such a system with that goal in mind, or did it result from generations of mistakes? Before Brittny could continue her epiphany, Keth's booming voice addressed the group.

"With this meeting's debates concluded, it's time to begin the festivities." The line read as a well-rehearsed, ceremonial one that even the other leaders seemed bored of. At the announcement, Keeden's tail shook with excitement.

Tabith continued the announcement, "The first competition will be the Climbing Race. Then, we'll have the Ice Chase and the Long Run. Now, it's time to select judges."

"You should be a judge!" Keeden said excitedly, almost purring the words into unintelligibility.

Brittny cringed. "Uh, I think I'd rather just watch."

"But that's exactly what judges do!" Keeden said, butting Brittny with her head. "Come on! It's even more fun than competing... and not just because I always lose."

Brittny felt a twinge of amusement at the mollie's words. As ridiculous as this was, she couldn't resist the pleading, dopey look that the Leaf was giving her.

"Alright, fine."


	2. seeing

The games began soon after picking judges, which was done even quicker. Apparently, most of these cats wanted to run around like lunatics. It was picking the participants that dragged on and on.

The two for the Crow Hunters had been picked before they'd arrived. This seemed usual to the other two leaders, as they didn't question it.

The first was Star, the tiny brown tomcat that was speaking with the leaders earlier, and the second was a tortoiseshell mollie with pale green eyes named Soda. She was almost as tiny as the tomcat, and twice as skinny. However, despite their size, the two stood proudly at the roots of the tree.

The tree itself was a massive old pine with many low-hanging, thick branches. It smelled like some of the trees her humans used to take in and decorate during winter, but it wasn't nearly as pretty. There were no ornaments to bat, and no twinkling lights to watch.

Now, the Tree's Leaves were picking their participants. Keeden's tail shook with excitement, making Brittny's back itch. She didn't want to tell the mollie to move it, since the Leaf probably didn't realize it was there in the first place.

Tenu stood before the others, gazing down at them with a serious expression. After a moment, she spoke, "Anyone that wants to participate in the Climbing Race, step forward now."

In a flurry of fur and paws, four cats stepped forward. The first was a fold-eared brown tabby tom; the second a skinny black tom with a white spot on his muzzle; the third a cream mollie; and the fourth a fierce, orange-eyed white mollie with a black crown and tail.

"Mnait? You went last time!" The flop-eared tabby half-complained, his voice light and playful. He nudged the black tomcat. "Save some for the rest of us!"

"That was the Fishing Fight, and there wasn't many fish." Mnait said, continuing the light tone even with his deep bass.

The orange-eyed mollie snorted, her tail flicking with slight irritation. Brittny flinched slightly at her irate, nasal voice. "This is my last Seasonal Meeting as a Half-Ranker! Let me go!"

"It'll be my last time climbing a tree for a few seasons, soon." The cream mollie said, sending a warm glance towards Mnait. The tomcat flattened his ears in embarrassment, and Keeden trilled breathily beside Brittny.

"They're gonna have kittens when Spring comes," Keeden explained. "They've been talking about it for third-seasons!"

The thought of kittens reminded Brittny of her adoptive brother, but she tried to forget it. He was probably dead, and it wasn't helpful to be stuck in the past. She forced a purr.

Another cat stepped forward. Her fur was black, but it shone brown like an old washcloth. She was disturbingly skinny, ribs visible through her long fur.

"Well, there's four of you, and we can only send two." She began, her voice raspy and strained, as if her throat were closing up. With a cringe, Brittny realized that it may have been—there was a small, odd lump on the elderly mollie's neck. The mollie continued, "How about we do this the old way?"

Brittny curled her ear. The what?

"I'll close my eyes, you all move around, and I'll point my tail at two of you."

Brittny held back a trill. This was going to be hilarious.

The elderly mollie closed her eyes, and the small group immediately erupted into chaos. Mnait tripped the orange-eyed mollie in an effort to leap onto a nearby rock, and she sent him tumbling down in response. He landed on the cream mollie, who let out a meow of shock and swatted at him. Then she stepped back, embarrassed, as she realized who she just swiped at. The fold-eared tomcat trilled, which earned him a dirty look.

The elderly mollie opened her eyes. Her tail shot up, pointing at the fold-eared tabby. Then, it shot backwards. Brittny followed the line just as Keeden stiffened beside her.

Then, her orange friend spoke. "Shado! Why?"

"You never participate in this one, but believe me when I tell you, you're the best climber in this clowder." She said, then she trilled lightly. "Besides, who else was I going to pick? Birk was the only one that didn't move."

The orange-eyed mollie's tail lashed. "That's not fair! You told us to move!"

"I did, didn't I?" Shado said, a hint of amusement in her meow. "You can't just do everything a poor, senile cat like me says to."

Despite his curled tail indicating barely-concealed embarrassment and irritation, Mnait's low trill at her words was loud and friendly. The tomcat had an admirable degree of humility—if someone fooled Brittny like that, she'd be growling.

The Ragdoll purred with mirth.

—

The chosen for the Mouse Catchers were much less eager. When Tabith called out, only two came after a long and awkward silence.

The first was a mollie named Stal—Brittny vaguely recognized the name, but couldn't recall why. Stal was a skinny silver tabby with white paws and the largest forehead Brittny had ever seen. It was as if the mollie's eyes had been shrunken and shifted downward, but unlike a Persian, her muzzle still stuck out. There was an ugly scar on that massive space just below her right ear. The ex-pet had to resist the urge to cringe at how utterly unpleasant the mollie was to look at.

The second was Skieb. He had stared up at Snobal, who looked away guiltily. The others in the clowder glanced around unamused, as if none of this mattered. Some even whispered quietly among themselves.

There was an awkward white-and-brown tabby tomcat that whispered to a long-furred, black bicolor mollie about an old, collapsing house. A white cat with orange points lowered their ears melodramatically and laid down. The two brown bicolor tabbies beside the colorpoint chatted quietly and only looked up when Tabith announced that competitors had been chosen.

Either this competition was a joke, or there was something off about these cats.

—

The competitors made their way to the base of the tree on the lakeshore. It was rather short, and looking up, its branches thinned dramatically. Brittny squinted at the thousand clawmarks that marred its bark.

Brittny brought her paws beneath her chest and curled her tail. Shortly after, a strangled coo alerted her to Shado's approach. The skinny mollie took Keeden's place—both physically and for the competition—after she forced the younger mollie to enter.

"You're a pretty one," Shado said.

Brittny twitched her ear. Why was everyone taking so much interest in her?

"Not to me—" The mollie continued. "But you'll know what I mean. Keep alert. The Mouse Catchers don't take travelers in without a reason."

"Should I leave?" Brittny asked skeptically.

"Not if you don't need to. You won't be mistreated there with your looks. But if something ever goes wrong, you'll be welcome in the Tree's Leaves."

"Do you really have the authority to say that?" Brittny said.

"I know my daughter," Shado said. "And I know my clowder."

Brittny looked away, about to ponder the mollie's words when the crunch of snow behind her made her flinch. A thin-furred tom sat beside Shado. He was an odd creature; the fur on his muzzle and eyes was so thin that it showed his skin, and the bottom of his paws were bare. The tom was shivering, and based on how fluffless his fur seemed, it was easy to tell why.

"Oh, Feder!" Shado exclaimed. "How're you?"

"Would be better if this snow wasn' so cold," The tomcat grumbled. "Even rothouse is frozen like the tree branches. We dunno what to do."

Shado trilled. "And your full coat isn't helping?"

"Not at all!" He hissed irritably. "I just wish it was summer again so I could lay on squarestones. Even spring'd be nice right now."

"Full coat?" Brittny asked.

Shado trilled again. "He goes bald in the Summer."

"Do not!" Feder said, hunching his back. "My fur just thins. Don' listen to her."

"Who are you?" Brittny said. "I mean—what clowder are you from?"

The tom blinked awkwardly before he turned to Brittny, as if he hadn't noticed her presence—even though he just spoke to her. "Oh. I didn't introduce myself, did I? But Shado said my name already. Well... I'm Feder of the Crow Hunters!"

It was like the word "feather," but with a "d." These cats liked odd names, didn't they? Or, did they just get so lazy with saying them that they changed them on accident?

"Has the wind taken your air?" Feder asked, making Brittny jump. She flicked her tail at the odd expression.

"No, I have enough air. Are you the third judge?" Brittny said.

Feder trilled. "Yep. That's me."

"When does it start?" Brittny asked.

"In a flick. Ya new?" The thin-haired tom said.

"Uh, yeah. Why does everyone keep asking that?"

Feder licked his paw and ran it over his face. "We don' get outsiders often. We used to get them a lot, but they stopped comin'. It's always fun to meet a new meow."

"Oh," Brittny said. "Keeden told me something similar. She said the Mouse Catchers didn't take in outsiders often. Why?"

Feder paused awkwardly before replying. "They uh... don' like most of them. They're real picky. Your scent's really interesting, y'know that?"

"Really?" Brittny said, playing along. If he was using a diversion tactic, it would be a struggle to squeeze any information out of him. It would be better to ask Snobal later. Besides, why ruin a potential friendship by being pushy?

"It's like a mix of human and another. I can't place it, but it's not your family scent. Your family scent's more light and pleasant than the one clingin' to ya."

Brittny couldn't confirm this—it was impossible for a cat to smell their own scent. It was like a person tasting their tongue. But the comment made her heart ache. The only cat who could've left a lasting scent on her was her brother.

"I had a housemate," Brittny said quietly. "You could be smelling him."

"O-oh. Are you close?" Feder said.

"Were. We were close. I ended up here trying to find him after he got lost." She said, lowering her gaze.

"I'm sorry," Feder said. "But at least yer here and not out in the woods alone."

Brittny sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

—

With a strong yowl that echoed through the sky, the competition began. The other competitors launched themselves at the trunk of the tree, but Keeden stayed. She took a moment to look at the branches above.

There was a large one close by that would be rather sturdy, but it wasn't near any safe branches. Taking it would be a risk, but it would be worth it. Her clowder would be able to run the seasonal meeting for the third season in a row.

She leaped onto the large branch gracefully as others stumbled onto theirs from awkward points, and then jumped onto the next branch. It shifted strongly under her weight, the pressure uneven on her paws, but she held firm. Then, she leaped onto the next branch, and the one after that.

The wind tickled her whiskers and pulled at her tail as she soared up the tree. She ignored the muffled noises of others yelling from below as they fought to reach the top and dug her claws into bark, then launched herself upward again.

As she climbed higher, the branches got closer, but they also got thinner. She had to leave before the branch could register her weight, or she would come crashing down.

A yowl sounded from just below her, but she paid it no mind. Whoever made the noise was just out of range. She flew from the final branch to the trunk of the tree, then turned to face the world. The cats below were like dark pebbles in mulch. She strained to find familiar pelts in the ground's fuzzy details with scents no longer carrying far enough for her to identify anyone.

Unlike a hawk or owl, a cat couldn't hunt from the trees. A cat's eyes were built to see the mouse a pouce away, not the dog or bear a house away. Sometimes, Keeden envied the hawk from legends—it could just swoop down without extensive chasing or planning and have its meal, while a cat had to stalk and sniff and sneak.

Was this how Feder felt when she climbed the Jagged Oak?

Speaking of cats named Feder... could she find the sparse-furred tom? He wasn't one of the judges, was he?

From this distance, he may as well have been a rock.

Wait. She was forgetting something. What was it?

She flicked her tail in irritation.

What was it? She had to remember.

Oh! She was supposed to yowl when she won.

Keeden yowled. She had succeeded, forgetfulness be bitten. With a purr rumbling through her bones, she hopped down the tree as quickly as she went up.

But her cheerful mood was soured as a voice from behind called out, "She cheated!"

Brittny—her latest friend, hopefully; so many Mousers had grown to hate her for not being like them—flicked her ears at the noise. Keeden turned to face the yeller.

They were a silver tabby with white paws and a large forehead, and smelled of musty cloth and rat blood. The lack of dust and rotting wood in the smell assured her that this cat wasn't a Crowhunter, though it would've been strange for a Crowhunter to go against a Leaf anyways. While most Mouse Catchers carried the scent of musty cloth, animal blood could only belong to a hunter.

What hunter had such a large forehead and such a voice suited for yelling? It was on the tip of her tongue. Stell? Steer? Sal?

She was the angry one; the one that yelled at Keeden when she came to her first seasonal meeting because she was "being too loud and stupid."

Oh! It was Stal.

Keeden was pulled out of her thoughts by Feder's reply to the accusation.

"I never saw her break any rules," Feder said.

Stal's fur spiked. "Well, she didn't yell right away! She was plotting something."

"It sounds to me like yer just being a shrill shrieker," The tomcat said.

Brittny squinted at Feder's choice in words, forcing Keeden to stifle a trill of amusement. Crowhunter insults were hard to understand at times.

"I'm not being a Beedel!" Stal shrieked, mortified.

Just because he wanted the Two-Floor back didn't mean Beedel wasn't a good Presider!

Keeden lashed her tail.

"Beedel the Peaceless was a fine cat," Shado said. "Tarnishing his name won't get us to believe you."

Stal stammered before turning away.

**Author's Note:**

> MOUSE CATCHERS
> 
> HEADS—
> 
> Tabith - pure white with sky blue eyes. Fluffy. Female. Mother of Snobal. Short-tempered, passive-aggressive, reputation-obsessed, intelligent, prejudiced.
> 
> Keth- white with a small spot of color on her muzzle and odd eyes (one yellow, one blue). Female. Calm, intelligent, prejudiced.
> 
> Snobal - pure white with dark blue eyes. Male. Shorter fur. Son of Tabith. Clever, manipulative, impulsive, short-tempered, prejudiced, reputation-obsessed.
> 
> HUNTERS—
> 
> Skieb - pure gray with a white spot on chest, stripes on tail and yellow eyes. Skittish, observant, caring, anxious, dopey at times.
> 
> Stal - lithe silver tabby with white paws and green eyes. Female. Clever, petty, competitive, loyal, stubborn.
> 
> Quint - white cat with flame tabby points and dark blue eyes. Prejudiced, loyal, stubborn, strong.
> 
> GUARDS—
> 
> Logwin - bicolor brown tabby with green eyes. Male. Friendly, playful, prankster, slightly greedy. Big goofball. Sib's brother.
> 
> Sib - black, long fur (van pattern) with yellow eyes. Female. Friendly but also dedicated to her duties. Responsible. Logwin's sister.
> 
> HEALERS—
> 
> Klo - bicolor light brown tabby with yellow eyes. Female. Curious, kind, impatient, passive-aggressive. Mils's sister.
> 
> Dawn - silver with a small white spot on chest and golden eyes. Fluffy, slightly large/out of shape. Jumpy, kind, shy, compassionate, anxious.
> 
> CARERS—
> 
> Mils - bicolor brown tabby with yellow eyes. Male. Cautious, patient, overly self-sacrificing.
> 
> Brittny - ragdoll cat with white spot on forehead, snowshoes, and blue eyes.
> 
> HIDERS—
> 
> Looloo - black with white paws, chin, back legs, and spot on chest. Leaf green eyes. Sharp-tongued, short-tempered, slightly sassy. Brave and determined, but also caring and vulnerable.
> 
> Dex - pure black with blue eyes (ojos azules mutation). Female. Cautious, nervous, shy, aggressive/defensive, prickly.
> 
> KITTENS—
> 
> Looloo's kittens:  
> Tinel - pure white w/pale blue eyes that are tinged reddish with red pupils (albino). Female. Named by Looloo. Almost deaf, good night vision, great at sensing vibrations, hates sunlight.
> 
> North - black with a white diamond on face with blue eyes (topaz cat). Male. Named by Brittny. Poor sense of smell, but can sense others using electricity (Mouse Catcher clowder power).
> 
> Dan - lilac with white toes and spot on chest with near-white yellow eyes that have red pupils (pink-eyed dilution). Female. Named by Skieb after Dawn. Poor vision, but strong hearing.
> 
> —
> 
> CROW HUNTERS
> 
> Star - pale brown rosetted tabby with orange eyes. Male. Friendly, sneaky, jokester, charming, loves food.
> 
> Windo - amber tabby with long fur, feathered ears and yellow eyes. Female.
> 
> Chair - black and white mollie. MTF Trans.
> 
> Feder - sparse-furred (lykoi) gray with green eyes. Male.
> 
> Blayz - orange tabby with green eyes. Female.
> 
> Hope - silver tabby with green eyes. Male.
> 
> Anjell - bicolor calico with green eyes. Female. Older kitten at beginning, a month or two older than Looloo's kittens. Soda and Chair's kitten. (The others were lost to the cold.)
> 
> Soda - torti with green eyes. Female.
> 
> —
> 
> TREE'S LEAVES
> 
> PRESIDER— Tenu - black-and-white "tuxedo" cat with dark green eyes. Female. Cautious, honest, manipulative, clever.
> 
> FULL-RANKERS—
> 
> Shado - black with green eyes and fluffy, soft medium fur. Skinny. Female. Relaxed but hardworking. Loves food.
> 
> Fich - brown tabby with green eyes. Female. Loves water (invents ice fishing). Friendly, good listener, responsible, busy, eccentric.
> 
> Birk - bicolor brown tabby with yellow eyes. Male. Clever, adept, loves to tease.
> 
> Mnait - black with white splash on muzzle and green eyes. Male. Quiet, awkward, brave.
> 
> Suveen - cream with ghost tabby markings on legs and forehead. Copper eyes. Female.
> 
> Dar - black and white van pattern with green eyes. Male.
> 
> HALF-RANKERS—
> 
> Keeden - orange tabby with yellow eyes. Female. Friendly, enthusiastic, a little bit much. Full-ranker in kitten era.
> 
> Lili - bicolor black-and-white with orange eyes. Female. Curious, snarky, sensitive, destructive, prankster.
> 
> KITTENS —
> 
> Fir - tabby torti with copper eyes. Daughter of Mnait and Suveen.
> 
> Surai - orange tabby with green eyes. Son of Mnait and Suveen.
> 
> Turtel - ticked tabby torti with green eyes. Daughter of Mnait and Suveen.


End file.
